Bittersweet Memories
by ExoticSeoul
Summary: She was their gem and they were her jewels. Haruhi Fujioka leaves her Onii-chan's because of her mother's death, and they move to France. But what happens when Haruhi comes back eleven years later with no recollection of them because of an incident that happened when she was seven? (AU)
1. Prologue

**Bittersweet Memories – Prologue**

_**A/N:**_ This story was inspired by Whitney Houston's 'I will always love you'. I had this nice idea in my head for a story. When I came across, and listened, to this song I managed to add some twists and a real good plot to the idea. I was inspired to write it right away, so I spent all day in front of the computer. Anyways, enough of my bantering and onto the story, I hope you enjoy it.

_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own OHSHC, but I do own some of the OC'S and the plot. Please note that this story is also kind of **(AU)**.

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Nine children stood in tensed silence, underneath a beautiful Sakura Tree that happened to be in full bloom that spring. The warm breeze slowly carried the petals to the ground, and a circle of pink petals seemed to almost engulf them.

A little girl stood opposite her friends, with long brunette tresses fluttering amongst the soft breeze, and looked at them with saddened features. Her small, petite pale hands tightened beside her and her nails dug in to the skin, almost breaking it. She subtly gulped as she watched her friends look at her with faces of concern written across their handsome faces.

She smiled, but her smiled wavered as she spoke, "I'm moving, minna-san."

The sudden news shocked the eight boys, and they looked at her with confusion swirling in their eyes. The gears in their minds rusted as they sunk in the information that they were given out of the blue. They didn't understand... _They didn't want to understand,_ "W-what?" They stuttered out in unison.

"Otou-san says that I can't see you anymore." She lowered her head, staring at the ground with tears quickly gathering at the tip of her eyes. She felt a sting in her palm, but ignored it.

The eldest out of the group, Yuuichi, stepped forward and ran towards her with open arms. She let out a surprised gasp when she felt comforting arms surround her small six-year old body. He pleaded with a whisper in her ear, "Ha-chan, don't go... please." The twelve year old boy hugged her tighter, and she sobbed in his chest with her hands gripping his shirt.

A series of footsteps followed afterwards, and she felt that she was being engulfed in her Onii-chan's warmth, her Tama-nii, Kyou-nii, Hika-nii, Kao-nii, Mitsu-nii, Taka-nii, Aki-nii, and Yuu-nii all hugged her like she was their lifeline as much as they were hers. The warmth that radiated from them, their hearts, was something she promised to treasure, and remember forever. She loves them, and they love her. Nobody, not even Kami-sama, can deny it.

A series of nicknames that they gave her were repeated with such solemn tones, and the skies above them loomed over with a gray tone. As if angels were crying with them, the skies rained and thunder from the distance boomed. The little girl cried harder as she heard the scary noise, and her Onii-san's ushered closer to her... feeling her warmth, and listening to her loud cries with a helpless cloud straying above them.

They were little kids... they couldn't stop her... so they let her go. They watched her helplessly cry for their help, as she struggled in her father's arms when they entered the departure lane, the next day. They tried reaching out to her, all of them, but it was helpless. The bodyguards that their parents had hired held them back with ease. It was a bit more troublesome for a certain blonde, and a dark haired tall boy, but nonetheless, they were stopped.

When they looked back at their parents in anger, their eyes softened as they saw their parents crying- sobbing, especially their mothers. It dawned on them, and their eyes widened at their realization... they weren't the only one suffering...

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_**A/N: **_I hope you guys enjoyed that, as much as I did writing it. It's only the prologue, so it's quite short, but did it catch your attention? I would love it if I could see reviews from now on! I'm posting Chapter 1 straight after I post this one, so don't worry it's not all that bad.

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	2. Chapter 1 - Hurt

**Bittersweet Memories – Chapter 1 – Hurt**

_**A/N: **_This chapter was inspired by Christina Aguilera's 'Hurt'. This chapter is set just a few days after Ranka, and Haruhi arrive to their new home overseas **(It'll say on this chapter where they've moved to, but for now, no spoilers)**.

_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own OHSHC, but I do own some of the OC'S and the plot. Please note that this story is also kind of **(AU)**.

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Ryouji Fujioka looked at his daughter's large white door in exasperation. He held a heavy brown box, filled with photos, games, and a few presents that came from the boys on her sixth birthday that happened a month ago. He remembered at how much fun everybody had, especially Haruhi. She bumbled about it for days to himself, and her mother Kotoko. But now, he doubts he would see the pretty smile for awhile.

The amber eyed fellow lifted his right arm, carefully balancing the box on his left, and knocked loudly on her sturdy wooden door with three knuckles, "Haruhi, there's a box that you left outside!"

He waited for a minute, until he heard fumbling footsteps running towards the door. His little girl opened it swiftly, and she held out two arms as if she was telling him to give it to her and then go. He smiled at her with a silly fake grin plastered on his face, "its heavy, Haruhi." He said.

Haruhi looked at her father with a sharp glare, that could almost rival to her mother's whenever she's angry, and stretched out her arms even more. "I'll do it." She refused to let him do the work, since he spent all of yesterday cleaning their new pretty home all by himself, sloppily.

Ryouji's hands tightened around the box, "Stop being silly, you're too little." He joked.

Haruhi rolled her eyes and refused to allow him to come in, "That doesn't mean I can't do it."

The thirty-two year old man frowned in displeasure, '_That's exactly what Kotoko would say'_, "Stop being like that Haruhi, it's not pleasant." He sternly voiced. His features turned sour, and Haruhi almost flinched, but kept her facade.

"It's my fault, isn't it?" She kept a straight face on, but inside she slowly withered as the words automatically came out of her mouth, "It's my fault that Okaa-san turned into a star, because I wanted her to come back early from work because I was scared?"

Ryouji's eyebrows furrowed deeper as he listened to his daughter, "Is it also my fault that we moved, is it my fault that we left home? Because I know that it's my fault that I made my Onii-chan's cry." His eyes widened with realization. He should have known. He should have known that she felt this way. He should have been there for her, but he wasn't.

Dropping the box with a loud thud by his feet, he rushed towards her with tears prickling his amber coloured eyes. He dropped to the ground with Haruhi in between his legs, as he hugged her tightly. The young one felt his tears dripping to her shoulder, it almost reminded her when her and her Onii-san's cried underneath the Sakura Tree that they loved. They even carved their initials on it, with her name in the middle just before they parted that day.

"Haruhi, it's not your fault," He sobbed, "It's nobody's fault. Nothing was your fault. Please understand that." He combed through her thick, straight dark brown hair. It was even the same shade as his deceased wife's. It made him cry harder.

She patted his back, with her petite hands. "I understand." But she never truly did, though she won't ever mention that.

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**[****Japan – Two Years Later****]**

Six boys leaned against the Sakura Tree in exhaustion. Their backs, and foreheads were soaked with sweat and they panted, trying to inhale as much oxygen as they can. Soon after, a series of laughs were heard, and they congratulated each other for their great teamwork at beating the opposing team (who stomped off in anger after the game).

After the celebration, a certain raven haired boy casually stood up and carefully walked around the tree, careful not to disturb his napping friends. His eyes vigorously searched for carving, and he smiled when he laid his eyes upon it.

"_Kyou-nii, you're my favourite!" _He silently chuckled at the young girl's brave comment. Back then, they would often fight for her attention because she amused them to no extent. It was a little game that happened out of the blue.

"_Onii-chan, I love you!" _His heart fluttered, and butterflies filled his stomach. He shook his head, _'No Kyouya, you know that she doesn't mean it that way.'_ The words I love you, repeated in his mind and his mood soured.

"Missing her, eh Kyouya?" The raven haired twelve year old looked down at his feet, where his idiotic best friend Tamaki laid with his arms cushioning his head as he looked up at him.

Kyouya shook his head, "Tamaki, you know we shouldn't really be talking about this. It's a taboo topic."

The blonde smiled mischievously, "Well as long as we keep it down, I'm sure the others won't hear."

"Shut up you fool." Kyouya snarled dangerously. He didn't want to remember anymore about her.

"You're the one who started it," Tamaki raised an eyebrow and looked away from him, and instead stared at the blue skies with white fluffy clouds dotted on it, "You do know that it's not only you who miss her?"

"..."

"We all do," Tamaki continued after a minute of silence, "She was our Haruhi. A bright gem, who we tried to protect at all times," He laughed, "Otou-san said that it was rare for him to see her without at least one of us at her side."

Kyouya's eyebrows furrowed, "She was **not** important to me."

A chuckled escaped Tamaki's lips, "Sure she wasn't," He blinked, "Don't lie to yourself you'll just make the guilt worst."

A frustrated growl came from Kyouya's throat, "Why did she have to go?"

Tamaki looked at him sadly, and felt his heart buzz with sadness, "You know why. Don't make me explain it to you. You're smarter than me after all, buddy." He propped himself up on his elbows, and grinned with eyes filled with sorrow.

Kyouya's eyes turned glassy and he closed it, in fear of someone seeing him crying, "We should've stopped her at that time."

Tamaki shook his head, "We weren't strong enough to, and you know that."

"I know, but everyone has changed haven't they?"

The French descendant nodded his head, "Like I said, she was our gem... she was someone who we would obey within a flash. It's quite funny isn't it, after all her family isn't from a rich heritage or anything, and yet we're treating her like she was a princess."

"Like Cinderella?"

"She loved that story, didn't she?"

Kyouya agreed, "She did. She would often make me retell it every time she comes over to my house."

Tamaki laughed, "She's got you wrapped around her little finger!"

"No Tamaki," Kyouya shook his head, "She's got **us** wrapped around her little finger."

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**[****France – Same Time****]**

An eight year old girl walked towards a gorgeous pale yellow medium sized cottage with Vivi, her nanny's pet. Its patio had a bunch of beautiful flowers that were looked after daily by her nanny, and their front fence was decorated by Haruhi's hand prints- ones that she made when she was seven. Her nanny had thought up of the idea, since the front seemed a bit empty because the flowers hadn't bloomed yet.

When she caught sight of a beautiful blonde woman, she ran towards the cottage with Vivi barking and running behind her, with his tongue stuck out, "Annie!" She yelled happily.

The woman, who was supposedly called Annie, looked up from her plants, and giggled as Haruhi ran towards her in full speed. She picked the little girl up and twirled her around happily, "Hello there my little racoon." She laughed, and set the eight year old down.

"How was school today?" She asked, continuing with her gardening once she patted Vivi's head, and he licked her face in return.

Haruhi smiled, and hugged Vivi when he nudged her side, "It was fun! We watched Cinderella today because Monsieur Strong didn't attend school. Elric and Ace picked me up after school, with Vivi of course," She scratched the Golden Retriever's head, "And then I'm here!"

Annie grinned and giggled, "What an adventurous day, I'm sure you're hungry, are you not?" Haruhi nodded eagerly.

"Can I cook today? I've been trying Mama's recipes for a while now!" Annie gave her thumbs up and Haruhi waved goodbye as she and Vivi trotted inside.

An elderly woman who was in her late fifties, looked over her shoulder when she heard the door open and close, and continued dusting the fireplace when she saw a brunette haired eight year old, "I guessed that you would want to cook tonight's dinner, Haru."

"Yep, and by the way I'm home Juli!" She walked towards the elderly woman and kissed her aged cheek, while Vivi copied her action and licked her left.

Juli lightly laughed, "Welcome home Haru," Vivi barked, "Yes, yes, you too Vivi. Welcome home you little rascals. Now go on, I've got some work to do, those darned birds managed to make a nest on top of the chute..."

Haruhi giggled and walked away from her other focused nanny, "I should probably put up a bird feeder, ne Vivi?"

The dog barked happily in reply. He wagged his tail, and sat down on his dog bed that lay beside the doorway. He watched Haruhi protectively as she shuffled about the kitchen. He was more protective of her now, ever since a year ago when he was unable to warn her that she was about to get hit by the car. He whimpered, and cringed when he remembered her horrified face that looked straight towards him.

He remembered howling, as if crying, when she wouldn't move when he nudged her. A pool of blood gathered underneath her head, and he barked loudly, alerting the passerby's who ran towards her when they saw her un-moving. He was sure that it was the scariest day in his doggy life...

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_**A/N:** _Well this was quite a depressing chapter, though I hope that the last few paragraphs raised your spirits a bit. Constructive criticism accepted, and please...

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